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Wow…I haven’t logged on since October! Maybe 31 days of writing really wiped me out or something? Haha! 😉

I think I have been behind in writing and enjoying the blog for lots of reasons. I think the main reason is that this has been an especially hard season of life. New challenges, new fears, and lots of teachable moments.

However, I am nothing if not OCD. It would drive me crazy to have October, November, and December go unrecorded or unacknowledged. Yes, life has been rough – but, as always, it’s our life and it’s very full. In other words, an abundant life! This post would take FOREVER if I posted all the pictures so I will just give you my favorite highlights.

In October, we enjoyed:

Southern Cooking Club with friends

A special double-date down in La Jolla

A Whiskey Tasting 30th Birthday Party

A movie night with friends to watch Willow

Sunday Church

Fields staff bowling night & Bull Taco

Our planted palm trees growing by the bedroom window

Florence + The Machine concert! Woohoo!

2 pumpkin carving contests

Temecula corn maze with our community group

A new haircut – bangs!

Beach walks and iced tea

Youth Group Costume Bowling

Boss’s Day at K1 racing

Costume contest at work

In November, we enjoyed:

Disneyland!

Garlic knots from Knockout Pizza

Idyllwild fall getaway for just the two of us

A breathtaking hike

Book Club to discuss In the Unlikely Event

More moving into the new building at work

Homeless bag packing and note-writing with our Jr. High kids

Happy Hour Cooking Club

Thanksgiving!

Star Wars Marathon – Episodes 4-6

Mediation by the beach

A busted lip and ruined shoes

In December, we enjoyed:

My company held its annual retreat for 2015. It’s my job to plan and execute the weekend and I am so blessed that it all went smoothly. I am glad to hear all my co-workers enjoyed themselves up in Los Angeles. You can read about it here: https://get.planningcenteronline.com/2015/retreat/

Some of the things we did: Queen Mary, murder mystery dinner, Universal Studios, Wolfgang Puck buffet, Samba, and too many great conversations to count.

1/2 a dozen holiday parties

Christmas Under the Stars with The Fields

Christmas Shopping

Disneyland again!

Staff breakfast potluck

Lots of traveling to ALABAMA

Our first tornado scare, taking cover in the basement

Sweet time with parents, grandparents, siblings, and our beautiful nieces

Visiting family churches

Birmingham Zoo

Sweet Tea and TV

Railroad Park and Steel City Pops

Alabama Biscuit Company

Bass Pro Shop (my first time)

Beach walks & Mexican food at home

Ringing in the New Year with our bestest friends in the world.

I will be back on this January, friends! 🙂

So far in January I have done more exercise, tried to eat less sugar, and am reading a lot more of my Bible…you know, your typical New Year’s good times. I love resetting and making the good things priorities again. What have you been up to?

It was the first 4th of July party my husband and I have ever hosted together. While it was a tad stressful to plan, we were SO excited to put together the menu, cook together, and open our home to some of our closest friends! We had about 20 people over (including kiddos) from our Community Group for some delicious food, treats, and drinks. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we even had a couple guests suggest to make it an annual event!

I hope you enjoy reading about our menu! It is just the right amount of savory and sweet, and would be perfect for any brunch.

First, this delectable coffee cake. It’s a sour cream coffee cake with a maple glaze. I also sprinkled a little maple sugar on top. It was moist and sweet with just the right amount of spice. Recipe from the amazing Shutterbean.

Next, we adapted a recipe from Joy the Baker and made the easiest sausage croissants and dark chocolate croissants (pictured below)! The kiddos loved these options the most.

No brunch would be complete without a fresh fruit salad! This one had chopped granny smith apples, blueberries, strawberries, and green grapes. Tossed with some fresh squeezed orange juice for a little sweetness. YUM!

Now this was the show stopper. A breakfast pizza with bacon, egg, three kinds of cheese, and arugula, with an extra kick from some red pepper flakes. O.M.G. Everyone raved about it and a few asked for the recipe. All props go straight to Shutterbean for her delicious dough and pizza genius. The only thing that I added was a little rendered bacon fat underneath the cheese. You probably think I am crazy, but trust me…you will not be sorry you did it.

We also had some donuts (obviously) from our favorite place (VG’s), as well as freshly brewed coffee, iced tea, milk, and blended strawberry slushies (leaded for adults & unleaded for the kiddos).

It’s not a surprise that I fully agree with Julia Child when she said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.” We were overjoyed to “break bread” with the best people. Until next year, friends! I hope you all had the most amazing 4th of July!